La‘akea Village Live-and-Work Community Proposed for Development in Pā‘ia
The non-profit Laʻakea Village is proposing the development of a live-and-work community for their long-term program participants.
The program, which provides services to Maui’s intellectually and developmentally disabled community through various day programs, hopes to construct a residential housing project–consisting of 18 structures with a total of 47 bedrooms.
The project is proposed for development on approximately five acres of county-owned land in Pāʻia, adjacent to Doris Todd Christian Academy on Baldwin Avenue, across from the Alfred Boteilho Gym.
According to a Draft Environmental Assessment, the 12 acre parcel when the project is proposed, is currently used for active agriculture including row crops and animal husbandry. The majority of the remaining areas are either in use by Laʻakea or remain vacant.
The document notes that Laʻakea has a 55 year lease for the County property, initiated in 2005, to develop a farm village for developmentally disabled adults. The organization currently has a staff of 28 and serves approximately 18 individuals.
According to the Draft EA, the organization has been providing assistance to Maui’s intellectually and developmentally disabled community since 2006; and in 2015 purchased their first assisted living group home in the nearby Skill Village neighborhood. The new project aims to provide more assistance through similar settings.
Public comment on the project’s Draft Environmental Assessment is due by today to:
- the Department of Housing and Human Concerns (Department of Housing and Human Concerns, County of Maui, [email protected] and [email protected]) with copies to
- the applicant (Laʻakea Village; P.O. Box 790994, Paia, HI 96779, Sarah Menzies, [email protected]) and
- consultant (Chris Hart & Partners, Inc.; 115 North Market Street, Wailuku, HI 96793 Raymond Cabebe, [email protected]).
This EA is triggered by the Laʻakea Villages’ use of federal, state, or county lands or funds for the project.